Tamed jumbo killed during fight
A tamed elephant was killed during a fight with a herd of wild jumbos in the forests near Sakrebail elephant camp in the district late Saturday night.
Officials of the Forest department said that the 33-year-old male elephant, Rajendra, from elephant camp was let into the forest for grazing on Saturday night. As the elephant had not returned to the camp, the forest staff searched for it in the woods and found its body near Jenukallusara on Sunday morning.
Veterinarian Dr Chandrashekar, who performed an autopsy, said Rajendra had apparently lost balance and fell from a 100-foot hillock during a fight with a herd of wild elephants. He had suffered severe injuries on the head and neck.
The elephant from the Mookambika temple in Kollur was brought to the Sakrebail camp in 2006 for a one-year training. Subsequently, the temple authorities handed over Rajendra to the Forest department.
Meanwhile, Shimoga district Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife division) Ravi Kumar said that three elephants from the Kakanakote forests would soon arrive at the Sakrebail camp. With this, the number of elephants at the camp will go up to 19, he added.
